CTO

Being a high-growth company is about more than an expanding headcount and new business. At Essentia, being a high-growth company means entering new industries, proactively developing practices to meet tomorrow’s needs, and embracing a growth mindset as we meet new challenges daily.

Position Overview: 

The Chief Technology Officer (CTO) is responsible for driving the overall technology vision, strategy, and execution for the organization. This role requires a forward-thinking leader who can strategically align technology initiatives with the company’s long-term goals, spearhead product innovation, and ensure the delivery of cutting-edge solutions to enhance business performance and customer satisfaction. The CTO will oversee all aspects of technology development and deployment, championing a culture of innovation while ensuring that the technology infrastructure is scalable, secure, and aligned with industry standards.

Key Responsibilities:

· Technology Leadership: Define and lead the company’s technology strategy to ensure alignment with business objectives, industry trends, and customer needs.

· Innovation and Vision: Identify emerging technologies and trends to drive continuous innovation and maintain the company’s competitive edge. Lead the development of new products, services, and technological capabilities.

· Platform Strategy: Oversee the architecture, development, and evolution of the eSpeed platform, ensuring it is robust, scalable, and adaptable to the changing needs of the business and its customers.

· Team Management and Development: Lead, mentor, and grow a high-performing technology team, fostering a culture of collaboration, creativity, and accountability.

· Stakeholder Collaboration: Collaborate with executive leadership, internal stakeholders, and external partners to integrate technology initiatives that enhance overall business performance.

· Customer-Centric Approach: Work closely with customers to understand their needs and translate these into innovative product enhancements that drive customer satisfaction and engagement.

· Project and Budget Management: Oversee technology projects, ensuring efficient use of resources, adherence to timelines, and management of budgets to deliver high-impact solutions.

· Security and Compliance: Ensure the company’s technology infrastructure complies with industry regulations and is equipped with advanced security protocols to protect customer and company data.

What You Will Be Doing:

· Executive Technology Leadership: Provide visionary leadership in setting and executing the company’s technology strategy. Serve as a key member of the executive team, advising on the overall direction and execution of the company’s goals.

· Product Innovation and Development: Spearhead the research, design, and deployment of new technologies and solutions that improve the company’s products and services. Ensure the seamless integration of emerging technologies.

· Team Leadership and Development: Manage the daily operations of technology teams, promoting a culture of collaboration, creativity, and continuous learning. Lead the recruitment and development of top technical talent.

· Technology Partnerships: Establish and maintain strategic relationships with third-party vendors, partners, and other key stakeholders to further the company’s innovation and growth agenda.

· Customer Engagement: Engage with clients to gather feedback on the platform’s functionality, attending key industry events to stay ahead of market trends and positioning the company as a technology leader.

· Strategic Oversight: Monitor industry developments and technological advancements, ensuring that the company’s platforms and solutions remain competitive and innovative.

WHY ESSENTIA?

Essentia has assembled a team of trusted experts who design and build turnkey outdoor & indoor networks with unrivaled quality and record-setting cycle times. We know true breakthrough innovations are the ones that target real customer pain points, inefficiencies, and error-prone processes. That’s why we’re delivering tech-enabled infrastructure solutions including drone data capture, data integrations and workflow, and automated deliverables – all powered by their proprietary eSpeed Technology Platform.

Based in Charlotte, N.C., Essentia has planted roots across the country, with remote  offices and teams united by a dynamic culture. At the core of any successful network you’ll find great people. At Essentia, we foster a culture of innovation, continuous learning, and excellence. Our leaders are trusted partners to our clients and are committed to driving industry change while maintaining the highest ethical standards. We empower our teams to think creatively, act decisively, and lead with integrity.

Essentia was founded in 2003 on the principles of leaders Jarrod and Lindon Hayes. We remain entrepreneurial at their core, taking a Silicon Valley-inspired approach to disrupt a growing number of verticals — including Telecom, Cable, Critical Infrastructure, as well as Fortune 1,000 enterprise and government agencies.

Essentia’s vision is to be most admired for our trustworthiness as a business partner and employer, while achieving industry-leading results for our clients. To achieve this, we have adopted four core values that guide our decisions and actions in all we do and set us apart from our competitors.

INNOVATION - We see abundant possibilities and few limitations.

COLLABORATION - We believe the power is in “we” not “I”.

IMPACT - We work and live to make a difference.

JUDGMENT - We think first then act smart.

The Successful Candidate Will Possess:

· Educational Background: Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or a related field. An advanced degree (e.g., MBA, Master’s, or Ph.D.) is preferred.

· Extensive Leadership Experience: A minimum of 15 years of experience in progressive technology roles, including at least 5 years in a senior leadership capacity, driving innovation, product development, and strategic planning.

· Deep Technical Expertise: Extensive experience in software development, architecture, and infrastructure management with a strong understanding of cloud computing, PaaS (Platform-as-a-Service), and other modern technology frameworks.

· Strategic Vision: A proven track record of developing and executing technology strategies that align with broader business goals, including experience in scaling platforms and driving digital transformation.

· Project and Product Management: Strong experience in managing large-scale technology projects from ideation to execution, ensuring on-time delivery within budget while maintaining high standards of quality.

· Industry Knowledge: Ideal candidates will have experience in the telecommunications or utility industries and demonstrate an understanding of the unique challenges and opportunities in these sectors.

· Security and Compliance Expertise: Thorough knowledge of industry compliance standards, with demonstrated success in implementing security frameworks and ensuring adherence to regulatory requirements.

· Strong Communication Skills: Exceptional ability to communicate complex technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders and executive leadership. Experience presenting to boards and contributing to strategic decisions.